FAIRHOPE, ALABAMA, October 26, 2026 — CU*SOUTH, a 100% credit union-owned credit union service organization (CUSO) that provides essential products and solutions for credit unions, today announced a partnership with Strategic Technology Advisors (STA) to help credit unions align technology investments with business goals and address information security and IT compliance needs.
STA offers fractional, or virtual, chief information officer (CIO), chief technology officer (CTO), and chief information security officer (CISO) services for credit unions that need executive-level guidance without a full-time position or want additional expertise to support existing staff. The experienced advisors at STA help credit unions establish technology priorities, guide solution selection and support implementation. Services also include IT general controls audits, AI strategy and governance, penetration testing, vulnerability assessments, business continuity and incident response planning, and more.
These capabilities complement CU*SOUTH’s IT Managed Services, which support daily technology operations through network and systems management, cybersecurity monitoring, backups and disaster recovery services. The partnership connects credit unions with additional advisory and assessment expertise as their needs evolve.
“Our credit unions need access to people who understand both the technology and the realities of running a credit union,” said Dave Roberts, SVP of Information Systems & Technology at CU*SOUTH. “Matt, Jim, and the STA team bring that perspective, along with deep experience in business resilience, incident response, cybersecurity, and the technology requirements for growth-minded credit unions. Their expertise complements our managed services team and gives our partners additional support for work they may not have the time or resources to handle internally.”
CEO Matt Sawtell and Associate Partner Jim Lawrence worked together in the industry for more than 20 years before launching STA as an independent CUSO to focus solely on the needs of the credit unions they serve. Lawrence managed data centers supporting core processing services, while Sawtell supported more than 300 credit unions across six time zones with IT strategy and compliance.
“Credit unions have important technology decisions to make, and their resources are often already stretched,” said Lawrence. “Our fractional approach gives them an experienced partner who can help set priorities aligned with business strategies while working alongside them as an extension of their team. Through our relationship with CU*SOUTH, we help credit unions find and implement the technology solutions that best fit their needs.”
As credit unions plan their 2027 budgets, STA can help evaluate technology investments against operational priorities, security needs and available resources. Credit unions interested in discussing their needs can start with a free consultation at strategictechadv.com.
About CU*SOUTH
CU*SOUTH is a 100% credit union-owned CUSO with a mission to grow strong credit unions. The company provides core software solutions, essential services and collaborative partnerships to help credit unions achieve their strategic goals and serve their communities. CU*SOUTH is part of the cuasterisk.com network of CUSOs. For more information, visit cusouth.com.
About Strategic Technology Advisors
Strategic Technology Advisors is an independent CUSO helping credit unions compete and succeed through strategic technology planning and information security compliance. Its team of industry-certified professionals brings more than two decades of credit union experience connecting business strategy with practical IT expertise. Working as an extension of each credit union’s team, STA helps align technology investments with business objectives and address evolving security and compliance needs. For more information, visit strategictechadv.com.
